I know what to do…why am I not still in shape?

I know what to do…why am I not still in shape?

This question sounds all to common. Even the best athletes struggle with this question. The missing link is not always a new exercise program, nutrition program, or supplements to try. It might be as simple as accountability. No one is always committed going to the gym or eating healthy 100% at the time. And when you don’t do the things you think you need to be doing you fall off the wagon and it’s hard to get back on it. Being accountable to – someone or something – for your workouts and nutrition will help you stay consistent of what you are doing in the gym or the kitchen. If you can’t be consistent you can’t progress.
There are several strategies to be more consistent and accountable. Here are two good examples:

Strategy #1 is to set behavior goals instead of outcome goals. What this means is to set goals such as “I will do four 15 minute workouts/week” or “I will cook at least one more meal at home than going out to eat.” Instead of “I need to lose 10 pounds” or “I need to get ready for the wedding in 3 months”. Think of the actions steps you need to take to reach the desired weight loss or the look you want.

Strategy #2 Make yourself accountable to someone. This could be a co-worker, friend, family member, personal trainer, or nutrition coach. Asking for somebody’s advise, expertise or simply sharing your experience will help you stick to what you want to accomplish. We all know that it’s a struggle to stay in shape (even fitness professionals like me). After all, we are all human. The best thing you can do is to hire someone to keep you accountable. This could be a coach or friend that you meet at the gym.

So our encouragement to you, is to change the way you commit and share that with somebody else. This way you will have better control over your decisions. What do you think you can accomplish in just one month of consistent workouts and better nutrition? What about a year?